Durham/Carden Big Day - Wednesday May 24 - Fri, 26 May 2000
Hi All,
Norm Murr & I headed out at 1:30 Wednesday morning for my Baillie Birdathon
(with partial donation to Thickson's Woods Heritage Foundation), Norm had 143
and I had 141 species. Included in these were Red-shouldered Hawk at a nest
(site withheld), our only Common Moorhens at Pumphouse Marsh in Oshawa, also at
Pumphouse were a Great Egret, ~15 Black Terns, a Ring-necked Duck (we also had
this species at Nonquon SL & Cranberry Marsh) and tagged Trumpeter swan #526.
We had Least Bittern calling north of Nonquon at the marsh on Old Simcoe Road
and Scugog 10th line, also there were American Bittern and Virginia Rail with
many Veery & Woodcock heard, a big miss for the day was Sora. The water at
Second Marsh is very high and thus no shorebird habitat, we did have one of only
two Black-crowned Night-Herons here, the other BCNH was at Pringle Creek just
north of Whitby Harbour.
Thickson's Woods had many Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,
White-crowned Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher in the field to the north, and 16
warbler species (all common), we had our only Common Loon & Red-breasted
Merganser here on the lake. We checked Lake Ontario in a few other spots and
saw no other waterfowl, I couldn't believe it!
Nonquon Sewage Lagoons was quiet with 2 Red-necked Phalaropes still hanging
around, Semipalmated Sandpiper & Plover, Least Sandpiper, 1 Green-winged Teal,
Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked duck, Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon,
Gadwall, but NO Short-billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Phalarope or White-rumped
Sandpiper (which were there just 4 days earlier - at least).
We had Clay-colored, Field and Grasshopper Sparrow all singing in one field at
once, just south of Port Perry off Simcoe Street (Durham Road 2).
In the Carden area, (along Wylie Road and along Alvar Road, which is at the top
end of Wylie and along Victoria Cty Rd 35, which parallels Wylie to the east -
NOT King's Hwy 35) we had female Purple Finch feeding young, Hermit Thrush
singing, Loggerhead Shrike, Upland Sandpiper, Sedge Wren, Yellow Rail, Ruffed
Grouse, American Bittern, Northern Waterthrush, Merlin and Common Nighthawk
displaying. The area was a little tough to bird because of the high winds while
we were there (couldn't hear very much singing). Also in the area we saw 3
separate Porcupines, a Water Snake and a Milk Snake.
Directions:
Second Marsh - south at Bloor Street exit off Hwy 401 in Oshawa to second set of
lights, turn left here to the General Motors parking lot and walk down to the
viewing platform.
Pumphouse Marsh - in Oshawa by the lake off Cedar Street (between Second Marsh &
Bonniebrae Point), nearest exit off Hwy 401 would be Ritson Road (I'm pretty
sure).
Whitby Harbour - by the lake in Whitby, exit off Brock Street (Hwy 12) south.
Thickson's Woods - south end of Thickson Road in Whitby at the lake.
Cranberry Marsh - Hall's Road south of Victoria Street (parallels Hwy 401 to the
south), just east of Lakeridge Road in Whitby.
Nonquon SL - North on Hwy 7/12 from Manchester (which is at Durham Rd 21 -
Goodwood Road) to Scugog 8th Line (not Durham Road 8), turn right/east the
sewage lagoons are on the right about 2km along.
Wylie Road (Carden) - north from the village of Kirkfield, when Victoria Road 6
curves sharply left/west, turn right on McNamee road, then 100m later turn left
on Wylie Road.
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